1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a braking device for a baby carriage. The user may step down a mechanism to control the barking device.
2. Background Description
The baby carriage is very popular in the modem age. Particularly when parents would like to bring babies to other places, the baby carriages are suitable to take the babies along with the parents. However, the parent does not pay enough attention to the safety as to the convenience of the baby carriage. When the baby carriage is not moving, a poor design to the braking device would endanger the baby.
Prior baby carriages are shown as FIG. 1, the baby carriage 1 has a frame 10, plural wheels 12, a handler 16, a baby receiving area 18 and a braking device 14. The frame 10 is designed to support the whole baby carriage 1 and to link every element of the baby carriage 1. The handler 16 is connected to a part of the frame 10 and provides a convenient way to move the baby carriage by hands. The baby receiving area 18 provides an area for placing a pad, supported by carriage supports 180, to comfort the baby. The braking device 14 is connected to the wheels 12 in order to stop the wheels. The braking device contains a stop rod 140 shown in FIG. 2, connected to an end of the braking device 14. When the stop rod 140 is stepped down, the braking device 14 will stop the wheels 12. Thus, the wheels 12 will stop rotation and the baby carriage is at the braking mode. If the user lifts the stop rod 140 by the foot, the braking device 14 will be released and the wheel is therefore rotatable at the releasing mode.
Please refer to FIGS. 3 and 4. FIG. 3 shows a prior baby carriage at a releasing mode. FIG. 4 shows the cross section of prior known baby carriage. As shown in the Figures, the braking device 14 includes at least a braking base 141, a braking wheel 142 and a step pad 143. Wherein the braking base 141 is connected to the frame 10 of the baby carriage 1, including a pivot 1410. The axis of the braking wheel 142 is connected to the axle 120 of the wheel 12. In this case, the braking wheel 142 and the wheels may rotate at the same axle. The step pad 143 is formed as a rectangular shape. The central portion of the step pad 143 is connected to the pivot 1410 of the braking base 141 and able to be locked to the outside of the braking base 141. In this case, the step pad 143 may rotate around the pivot 1410 circularly. The step pad 143 further includes a pad face 1430, a stop node 144 and a pad securing device 145. The pad face 1430 and the stop node 144 are placed the outside portion 148. The pad face 1430 is for stepping down by the user. The stop node 144 is for controlling the wheels whether being stopped or not. The pad locking device 145 is for locking the pad 143 in a braking mode or a releasing mode. The pad locking device 145 includes a pin 1450 and an elastic element 1451. The elastic element 1451 is placed in a proper place of the pad 143. The pin 1450 is a pillar connecting to a curve surface 1411 at one end, and connecting to the elastic element 1451 at another end. The restoring force provided by the elastic element 1451 is able to enforce the pin 1450 attaching the curve surface 1411 very tightly. Since the curve surface 1411 is designed as an arched shape, when the pad 143 rotates along the center of the pivot 1410, the pad 143 will be forced to the curve surface 1411 and therefore be fixed.
When the user is not using the braking device 14, the pad 143 maintains the position shown in FIG. 3, wherein the position is the releasing position. In the case, the stop node 144 is far from the braking wheel 142. The braking wheel 142 is therefore freely rotatable. The user may move the baby carriage to other places without the limitation from the braking device. If the user would like to stop the baby carriage or keep the baby carriage at where it is, the user has to step down the pad 143, as shown in FIG. 4, at a braking position. In the case, the stop node 144 contacts the braking wheel 142. Since the braking wheel is a rachet and the stop node is a pin, as shown in FIG. 3, when the stop node 144 contacts the braking wheel 142, the braking node 144 will be inserted into the braking wheel 142 as shown in FIG. 4. In this case, the braking wheel will stop rotation, as do to the wheels in order to stop the baby carriage.
Besides, as shown in FIG. 2, a step bar 140 is extended from the pad 143. The step bar 140 is connected to the pads 143 of braking devices 14 at both ends. The user is therefore able to employ his/her toe or feet to move down the pad 143 in order to brake the baby carriage or lift up the pad 143 in order to release the braking device.
As stated above, the user has to depress the pad 143 to deploy the braking device and to lift up the pad 143 by user""s shoes. In this case, shoes may be smudged by dirt on the pad. Further disadvantages of the prior known baby carriage is that the baby carriage is easy to be stopped accidently if the parent or user step down the barking pad unintentionally. In this case, no matter the baby is thrown out or the baby carriage is damaged, is not willing to be seen or happened.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a linkage device; placed in a side of the stop node and the pad, for releasing the braking device particularly when the pad is stepped down.
It is another object of the present invention to provide the linkage device placed in the inner side of the pad in order to be away from the user for reducing the accidence of stepping down the pad.